Momentum
by Daliha
Summary: It was the driving force behind Kiesuke Takahashi's actions. The one thing that kept him moving.


Title: Momentum

Speed, the only thing to make him feel truly alive.

driving force gained by the development of a process or course of events.

_**Device**_

He pulled the bag onto his shoulder, his brother walked ahead of him. The contrast in their personalities made obvious to those around them, the older Takahashi brother walked with confidence, while his disheveled younger brother walked behind shoulders slumped. Both of the young men wore black uniforms with a yellow crest emblem on their chest, the younger of the two paused as they arrived at the school's large metal gates. For Keisuke it would be his first day at Seika Private Academy, and his brother's last year. Ryosuke shot a quick glance at him as he entered the school, reminding his brother of their father's words.

_I expect only the best from __**both **__of you._

Keisuke just barely kept himself from rolling his eyes at his brother. After all it wasn't his Aniki's fault for their father's behavior, in fact his Aniki was the only one to defend him from it. He shook the thoughts from his head; all he had to do was behave, even if it was just for a few weeks.

The younger watched his brother enter the school, he pulled his bag off his shoulder and now instead held it at his side resisting the urge to turn around and walk back home.

"Pfft, how the hell did you get in here?" said a surprised voice from behind him. He turned and watched as the young woman gaped at him, her head sideways. She wore a black skirt and the yellow vest that characterized the school uniform, her dark hair was in its usual messy ponytail.

"You really thought I was that stupid." he answered as she pulled him inside.

"Not really Keisuke" she answered as they walked inside following the first year students to the large board posted just outside the school's main entrance. There she was, he thought somewhat bitter, the obstacle between him and freedom.

He watched as she fought through the small crowd trying to get a better look at the sheets, he yawned and took a quick look at his watch. School wasn't supposed to start for at least another hour.

"How can anyone be so excited at seven thirty in the morning?" he asked himself as he watched Akemi come back, fixing her hair as she complained about the crowd of students.

It was only last year that the two met, some still wonder what could have brought the trouble-making Takahashi to be friends with the athletic Kaneda, but it was something only known to the two teenagers. All anybody knew was that they were often one found with the other; whether it was arguing or having a coffee it was rare to see them with other people.

"What class are you in?" he asked.

"Same as you " she said nudging him playfully. Keisuke stared at her shocked, it couldn't be possible. Students at Seika were placed in their groups using their student's entrance exam scores, and as Keisuke's father had reminded him every day since then, he had to pull some strings to even get him into the prestigious school.

Contrary to the young woman who was known to bury herself in the books during her free time, "don't look so shocked, you know your father can be pretty persuasive" she said as they stood behind the large group of first year students.

If persuasive was the word she felt comfortable using it was fine by him, but he knew of other more colorful words to describe his father. Just mentioning the man was enough to make his blood pressure rise.

As the crowd began to die out they made their way to their assigned cubicles, switching their outside shoes for the ones they would use inside the school. "Don't be so frustrated" said Akemi, as the younger Takahashi walked behind her with same sour expression he usually wore while at school.

"You'd be frustrated too-"

"If everyone treated you like crap" she finished as they went up the first flight of steps. He huffed mumbling something about not knowing what use school had. Akemi ignored him as she stopped taking a look at the signs over the classrooms. "Look, I hate school as much as you do-" she could already feel his glare on her back "but if I get good grades I get to run track, so it's a win-win."

"Easy for you to say" he mumbled entering the classroom, quite a few students had already walked into classroom 1-A. He walked towards the back to take his seat; Akemi meanwhile was already being pulled aside by a couple of girls. Even then she threw glances over her shoulder, as if to make sure Keisuke hadn't suddenly run off.

Although he had every intention to, just not at the moment, he leaned back in his chair watching the people around him chat. Today would be a bore, at least until lunch, after then he'd disappear, and as if reading his thoughts Akemi threw a glare at him as the bell rung.

He glared back, to which she smiled as if challenging him.

After their brief introduction to their peers students were put to work by all their teachers. It was truly merciless the way they were expected to work, and by the time lunch had come Keisuke was lying on his desk in a deep slumber.

"Are you really going to wake him up" asked the bespectacled girl in a small voice. Akemi nodded pulling out two bento boxes from her schoolbag, next to the bespectacled girl stood a taller girl her dark hair loose around her face.

"Akemi, I still don't understand the need-" said Setsuko glaring the direction of the sleeping boy.

"To help him?" asked Akemi standing carrying the two bento boxes. "He's pretty nice, once you get past the sarcasm and general rudeness." _Besides that I owe him, _she thought.

"Really?" asked Chihiro who looked over curiously at Keisuke as most people did. It was something that Akemi had gotten used to a while ago. After she started to hang out with him people would ask questions, or sneak glances. He was after all the epitome of what their socialite parents hated, rude, disheveled and less than ambitious.

"My father says he's a disgrace to his family" added Setsuko, the newly appointed class president.

"Well then you can tell your father to shove it" snapped Akemi angrily at the girl. Setsuko narrowed her eyes at Akemi.

From the back of the classroom stood a tall, lanky young man, he picked up his bags and unnoticed slipped away from the classroom as he often did when he was in junior high school. It was only the first day, and from now on Keisuke swore he would no longer be a device in his father's plans.


End file.
